The Oil Drum

Yes. A screaming sign of deathly conservatism, a defense of an old state of affairs, in function both of some, but only some, corporate and business interests (these in turn being shaped by Gvmt. policy in return for what are basically bribes) and a championing of ancestral ‘core’ values - the right to act as if land use, energy, success and opportunity can never be limited materially or socially changed, even if, today, such myths don’t have the expected effects (eg. social mobility in every old EU country is higher than in the US, poverty in highest in the US amongst developed countries, etc. ...)

It is really quite surprising that the US has turned out be a bastion of conservatism, inflexibility, rampant bureaucracy and ‘big state’ (not in aid paid to the poor), military domination, a kind of war economy - in view of its reputation of pragmatism, inventivity, hard work, egalitarianism, a can-do attitUde.

Not that the EU (Japan, Aus, etc.) is any better, but the US, as an emanation of it, and as the supposed ‘hegemon’ is on the front line both for action (Iraq invasion) and criticism.